When You Want To Say NO To The HO-HO-HO
The pressure of holiday season is real.
To make the sales goal to secure your bonus.
To finalize the 2020 business plans.
To pack and deliver those last minute customer orders
Or to put the last vintage wines to bed so you can finally hang up the boots.
Sound familiar?
As someone who has lived abroad for more than a decade, my cortisol levels pretty much go crazy from late November until New Year. Innocent questions about my family plans trigger my longing for a Christmas morning beach swim at Port Willunga, South Australia. Party invitations trigger my constant reminder about not having a plus-one to bring. And the seduction of an endless flow of wine and food triggers my jeans button to break under the strain of it all.
All of which leaves me in a pretty fragile mental state.
So with that in mind, here are my ways to cope that may be helpful to anyone here who may be feeling less than festive this season:
Know your triggers.
Maybe it’s the Company Holiday party where you are not sure what to say, or extended family gatherings where you don’t feel comfortable making small talk. Don’t put yourself in anxiety-heightening situations. You can say no to those occasions.
Try not to isolate.
As tempting as it is for couch-time with cava, surround yourself with people who appreciate you and who will not insist on shoving egg-nog down your throat! Be honest with friends about your mental state so they can help support you.
Explore your community.
Walk your local neighborhood and see the decorated streets. Take in the creativity, hard work and energy that others put into their lit-houses and large Holiday celebrations. Discover the small business stores, and make conversations with the elders of the community.
Volunteer your time and resources.
Or donate to those less fortunate than yourself. Being of service (or as yogis call seva) is a great way to reconnect with community and give back.
Keep an eye on the booze.
While it’s easy to drown your times in the festive punch or whisky hot toddies, alcohol when you’re feeling unstable may take the edge off, but can be a slippery slope. If in doubt, enlist a friend to help keep an eye out on your intake.
Find solace in something you love.
Just because it’s holiday season doesn’t mean you can’t take a bath, switch off and read a book or spend extra time relishing in something you love. Give something back to yourself.
One of my favorite salves at difficult times is to cook. Nearly every year for the last decade I have hosted a small gathering at my dinner table on Christmas Day. Guests choose the cuisine and we gather to share time, stories and food. My parents Skype in from Australia and dad shares his annual “Dad Joke”. It’s a little tradition and connection to home that helps bridge the distance and starts to restore my mental wellbeing.
Wishing you a peaceful and stress-free Holiday season. You are not alone.
Namaste,
Beck
What We're Reading:
There's no shortage of wine stories and media inundating our IN Boxes. Here's what has piqued our interest this week.
What can We Learn from the Wine in Moderation Movement? - Mike Veseth, The Wine Economist.com
Mike Veseth shares a timely and poignant opinion on the state of the recent rebranding of the Wine in Moderation organization.
5 Hacks for a Sustainable Meditation Practice – TheGoodMenProject.com
After being a monk for more than 12 years, Rajan Shankara shares his insights on meditation.
Meet the Community!
Our community is only as strong as the company we keep, and here we meet some of the folks who make our profession so dynamic.
Stevie Kim, Managing Director, Vinitaly International (Italy)
Years In The Industry:
About a decade ago, I started in the Italian wine world… as divorce prevention! After working for years and years with my husband in the field of eating disorders, I needed a change to avoid our demise! I ran a publishing company for academic books with my husband and oversaw the organization of medical congresses. In a way, my professional challenge was to transfer the knowledge and experience I had gained in that sector to the wine world, and attempt to make a difference in the promotion of Italian wine abroad. One thing led to the next and I found myself truly passionate about wine. I am not a wine expert and this lack of highly technical knowledge, especially at the beginning, was my strength because it pushed me to simplify and communicate about Italian wine abroad in a more accessible way. I was able to greatly contribute in this way. With Vinitaly International it’s been a different kind of marriage, whose ten-year anniversary falls in 2020.
My Biggest Challenge to Wellness:
Time… The main challenge is finding and making the time for wellness, because you always think you will do it after a meeting or trip but there’s never enough time. Physical wellness will also dictate your psychological wellness, so I try to keep that in mind even though I often forget. Consistency is tricky when you live a busy life.
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
In the beginning, I was a runner and did a few marathons. However, when I started working in wine I found that it’s difficult to keep it all together physically when you’re paid to eat, drink and indulge. This question comes at a good time though, because sometimes you have to be made to think about these things.
I’m not terribly spiritual, but I do believe in karma and that things happen for a reason. This topic is clearly something I need to address. To be honest, I don’t have it all together, but I have my moments.
My philosophy in life is that when there’s an obstacle or difficulty, try to turn it into an opportunity. For example, this summer I had to cancel my plans last minute because of something that came up. Instead, I ended up in the mountains. Every day I went walking up and down mountains in the Dolomites and on walking trails in the woods, in a region that is home to brown bears. On my walks, I would go a long time without seeing any people. Cell coverage was also spotty there. I am used to being connected at all times, so I became a bit panicked. It was truly remote. I began to realize just how vulnerable I was, but sometimes I need these moments to bring me back to earth. These are the times to learn how to connect with your psyche. So I began to focus on my breathing, which I found to be a real source of comfort and release. Now whenever I face some critical moment, I resort to my one reliable friend, breathing. It’s all about breathing.
You can connect with Stevie @steviekim222 on Instagram Facebook and Twitter and via LinkedIn.
Let’s Meet Up!
As work life has it, we are traveling over the next few months and would love to see you!
Presenters at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, February 4 to 6 (Beck and Cathy)
Presenter at Wine Paris, February 10 to 12 (Cathy)
Presenter at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, February 25 to 29 (Cathy)
Presenter at the Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference in Eugene, Oregon, March 3 to 5 (Cathy)
Attendee at ProWein in Düsseldorf, March 15 to 17 (Cathy)
Guest Instructor at Bologna Business School, April 7 to 9 (Cathy)
Attendee at Vinitaly in Verona, April 19 to 22 (Beck)
Presenter at the Future Wine Expo in Santa Rosa, May 12 and 13 (Cathy)
